Great Oak runners justify lofty status

WALNUT — The Great Oak High girls cross country team looked plenty deserving of the state’s No. 1 ranking on Saturday morning at the Mt. San Antonio College Cross Country Invitational.

The Wolfpack dominated the girls team sweepstakes race by placing five runners in the top 15, including the third- and fourth-place finishers in juniors Ashley Helbig and Haley Dorris, respectively.

Despite winning the event in the meet for the last four years, Great Oak had much to prove after a disappointing showing on the course at last year’s CIF Southern Section finals.

At that meet, a Great Oak team heavily favored to win watched nerves and inexperience drop it to a third-place finish.

“We were trying today to go out there and prove to people that we can run our own race and not panic or stress,” Great Oak coach Doug Soles said. “This invitational was so important for the girls because it proves that they are not afraid of Mt. SAC.

“We have changed a lot of things this year and I told the girls that last year we finished and were tired but this year we are going to finish and I am going to have to hold them back.”

Soles believes that his team is capable of winning a state title, a feat the program accomplished two years ago.

“The reality is that this team is ready,” Soles said. “We are running times in our workouts that we have never approached before, even in 2010, and feel confident that this group has some big things in store.”

Helbig was one of the Great Oak runners who felt the nerves of the big race last November, finishing in 123rd place. But she appeared to have forgotten that memory on Saturday, placing third in a race that witnessed a piece of history from winner Sarah Baxter of Simi Valley. Baxter set a girls 3-mile course record with an unofficial time of 16 minutes, 1 second.

“Our biggest thing is working together as a team,” Helbig said. “There were times out there when I felt like slowing down, but my teammates were there pushing me and I am so thankful for that.”

Helbig said the support of teammates helps to alleviate some of the pressure of being the favored squad.

“It helps us not be overwhelmed by that pressure,” Helbig said.

The boys team sweepstakes race featured a solid performance from Vista Murrieta. Porter Reddish was the team’s top finisher, as he dropped nearly six seconds from his section finals time on the same course last year.

Reddish said the race gave him an idea of what’s in store for the postseason this year.

“There were definitely a couple guys in this race that I will have to go after in November,” Reddish said. “It’s kind of a benchmark — last year at this race I ran a 15:20, and ended up running a 15:01 at finals.

“I’m definitely going to go out to try to win finals, it’s all about peaking at the right time.”